This is my 7th child, and the 4th daughter that Denise has helped to bring into this world.
I was 42 weeks on Thursday, July 11th. That day, I went for my ultrasound and then midwife appointment that morning. Ultrasound looked fine, but the tech said that already some of baby’s measurements were off the charts. I had previously had 2 of my babies over 10 pounds and one 11 pounds, so when Denise offered
me an at home drug induction the next day (under doctors ok) I said YES! She roughly stripped my membranes, which I dismissed as useless, because it had never worked before. She said I was ripe, and ready to go, which was a big change from the week previous. We scheduled a time for the next day where she would come to my house to administer the induction drug, unless I went into labor on my own that night. I poo-pooh’d that idea because I had never had stripping work for me before, and went home and “Planned” to have my baby on Friday. (ha ha, we plan and God laughs)
I went home and busted chops on the children and told them if I was going to have baby the next day, we had to clean the place up. I went to the library and got a stack of movies for the children. I cooked dinner and ate 3 servings of spaghetti and meat sauce and a strawberry milkshake (I was STARVING) My husband and I were at odds with each other, due to my pregnancy hormones and anger and his reaction to that. It was not good.
Then the dumb steer was found missing! My BEEF for next year!! So my husband and 2 of the children set off on steer hunt, by foot, by bike and then by car. I decided to take the advice I had been given all week by various people and take a walk up and down our road. Our driveway is on the top of a hill, so I walked both ways and took 2 huge hills. I was having contractions at this time, but they were like the ones I normally had.
Back to the steer…. This steer is the naughtiest one we have had yet, a regular Houdini. Apparently he wandered down the driveway (the ONLY break in our fencing) and got into the outer paddock of our neighbors pasture. The neighbor boy came by and thought it was their steer and let him in with their bull and pony. Luckily another neighbor saw this happen, so when my husband went to their house and asked if they had seen Mr. Beef, he jumped in the car with my husband and the children to help out. My husband had to rope him, then the steer proceeded to drag him 500 feet before the dumb beast came to a fence and he could get him good. They hooked him to the back of the van and drove the naughty thing home.
Middle little children were put to bed, the bigs were watching an old Ronald Regan western, and I was keeping the 2 year old busy when I started to feel something different happening. The 2 year old, of course, had no sympathy and kept me busy. She needed milk, so I was searching for a sippy cup lid when a big contraction hit. I gripped the counter and looked over and saw her coming at me, helpfully carrying the milk. We have raw milk, and it is in a juice jug, and she was carrying it sideways!!! I jumped to keep a disaster from happening during this contraction and grabbed the jug. I began to get suspicious…was I in labor?
I took her upstairs and gave her to my husband (still grumpy at him) and got in the shower. I had 3 strong contractions and some bloody show and tons of mucus. I was super suspicious, but still not convinced. I went in my room to dress, and had another few strong contractions. I called for husband to give the 2 year old to her 13 year old sister and get up here! Then I sat down in my chair. Hubby came up and we grumped at each other, then I told him what I thought was happening. It was 9 pm. He called Denise and she told us to time them and call her back. I had 2 stronger and 1 weak contraction about 3 minutes apart. They felt different, stronger than the previous and way down low. He called her back and she said she was going to head out to our home. I grumped at him to make the bed, but he said no and pulled up a chair by me. He said we couldn’t have this baby being mad at each other. So he held my hand and we talked and shared our feelings about what was wrong and he apologized for his part. And I admitted that I was so scared of the pain of labor and how we had communicated that day made me feel like he was some doctor who couldn’t be bothered because his impending golf game was more important.
The air was cleared, I was ready, and good thing! My husband got things ready in our room and I sat in my chair and had contractions. Wonderful thing was, they were bearable! We prayed one decade of the rosary, and then Denise got there. I stayed in my chair and labored, and I told her I felt I could probably push, but I didn’t, because the contractions were still so “easy” and I was internally terrified of pushing. I looked at the clock and figured I had another 3 hours to go based on my last babies. I figured the contractions had to get harder anyway.
The second midwife arrived, and got settled. Denise told me to urinate before things got crowded. I stood up and the contraction was real strong. I had one on the toilet and it was terrible. I sat back in my chair and it was easy again. Denise told me that she might have me walk around, because the sooner baby was
born, the sooner it was all over. I was not interested in going through those painful contractions I had while standing. Something inside me just decided I was ready to get this over with, and I began to push. My water broke like a huge waterfall on that first push. They were amazed at the amount. I pushed a few
more times in my chair, and then the got me on the floor, because there was no place for baby to come out on the chair.
I was on my knees with my husband in front of me, gripping some part of his arms or shoulders and just pushed and pushed. I don’t wait for contractions, I just do it. I could tell this was another big baby then, because the head did not come easy. I panicked, and felt that I couldn’t do it. Pushing was so hard and
agonizing, but my husband and my midwives were so encouraging. I said a nasty swear word and the head was out! I knew at that point that if I could push those shoulders out, I was DONE! So I railroaded those shoulders out, and SWEET RELIEF! baby was on the floor below me, praise GOD! She was born at 11:30 pm after 2 hours of labor and 20 minutes of pushing. 10 pounds 2 ounces and 23 inches long.
They examined her as she lay there and she let out her girgly cry. I finally said “OK, gender check!” and Denise told me to look. No surprise, baby girl!! I had never been the one to discover the gender before, so that was fun. They sat me back in my chair and handed me baby. She latched on with a super baby suck. She was my first baby covered in vernix. We let her get all her cord blood before we clamped her. I was so relieved and so happy it was all over. We just sat and thanked God for our wonderful blessing.
We heard children outside the door and let the 5 year old in. She was amazed, but when we told her it was going to get bloody (I had to deliver my placenta) she took off. After that I began to bleed and not feel well. My husband took baby out to the children while the midwives tended to me. I was nauseous and after birth crampy. They took very good care of me, and my husband and the children got to know baby and enjoy her, so it all worked out well. Baby and I fell asleep. By 3 am I was feeling wonderful, and baby was doing fine. The midwives had slept at my home because they were worried about me. Denise came to me at about 6 am and checked me out, and things were good. They left around 7 am, and I was surrounded by happy siblings and daddy. Praise God for His blessings and Mercy!
